


Everything’s Gonna Be Alright

by AnonymousHime



Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Nightmares, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-02-28 09:04:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18753256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnonymousHime/pseuds/AnonymousHime
Summary: ******************************    ENDGAME SPOILERS AHEAD    ******************************Months after Thanos’ defeat, Peter still struggles with the aftermath. When in doubt of himself and his worth as a hero, Mr. Stark drops in to have a conversation.





	Everything’s Gonna Be Alright

**Author's Note:**

> Imma just... slide right into this fandom here.
> 
> Yes, I love angst. Yes, I would die for Peter Parker. What else is new? 
> 
> Here’s the first installment in what is probably going to become a series of many short angsty Irondad/Spiderson fics. Enjoy!

It had been months now, since Thanos had been defeated—but still, despite the smile he wore, Peter struggled with the aftermath. May had told him it’s only normal... after all, one doesn’t just fight in a monumental battle, die for five years, then wake up only to be thrown straight into the most important war in the history of the universe and just come out without being at least a little traumatized. Still, guilt weighed heavy in the teen’s heart at every flashback, at every panic attack, at every nightmare. He needed to move on already. The people needed their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man again. But he just couldn’t do it, and he hated himself every day for it. It had been months... and he still couldn’t put his own suit on without choking down vomit.

 

Tonight had been particularly bad. After hours of restless shifting and a constant pang of anxiety in the back of Peter’s throat, he finally drifted to sleep only to be ripped awake by relived horrors. He’d seen his family; his parents and Uncle Ben and Aunt May, all together—happy, laughing. Until they were reduced to dust. He watched as Thanos’ alien beasts ripped off the flesh of his friends piece by piece, the pain evident in their screams but their consciousness never wavering. He relived his own demise over and over, trapped in a loop as he felt his legs give way and his body fade to nothing in Mr. Stark’s arms, and even though he knew it was a dream by now, each repeat of the event felt just as real as the first.

 

After much effort to pull himself out of the hell that was his own mind, he finally managed to force his consciousness out of this nightmare, with a loud scream ripping from his throat in the process. He sat upright in his bed, panting, the light of a full moon reflecting from his window against his sweaty skin. He wondered with embarrassment if May had heard his scream, and if she did, would she even bother to check on him when this had become such a normal recurrence? Running his hand through his hair, he swung his legs around his bed in preparation to get up and grab himself a glass of water. Before he could stand, however, his door slowly began to creep open.

 

“You alright, kiddo?” An all too familiar voice asked.

 

“...Mr. Stark,” Peter realized, hazily. When was the last time he’d seen his mentor—or any of the Avengers for that matter? Not since they all split ways after Thanos’ defeat, each focusing on their own problems and families, moving their hero work to the back burner in favor of their loved ones. “What’re you doing here?”

 

Tony slowly brought himself towards the boy’s bed, seating himself at the edge and letting out a heavy sigh.

 

“I just thought I’d stop by and make sure you’re still alive,” The older man explained, a slight smirk on his lips. “Then I heard the scream. Did you have a nightmare?”

 

“No, Mr. Stark, it’s n-nothing like that. I’m fine, r-really.”

 

“Like hell you are,” He smiled at the teen but it didn’t quite reach his tired eyes. “You’re skin and bone, you’re pale as a sheet, and you’re clearly having nightmares. I know you’ve been skipping school more and more, I know you haven’t been Spider-Man since the battle. What’s eating you, kid?”

 

Peter sighed heavily, a slight waver in it as the shake was still evident in his body.

 

“...What _isn’t?_ ” He answered honestly. “Mr. Stark, I... I thought I was a hero. But in the end, I... I’m just a kid who happens to have powers, huh? You guys have been through so much and keep on fighting. I can’t even handle stupid nightmares after just a couple battles. I’m too pathetic to wear the suit and call myself a hero.”

 

“Pete.” Tony moved a bit closer, placing a firm hand on the teen’s shoulder. Peter instinctively leaned into the touch... oh, how he missed this. “Pete, I need you to listen very closely. Are you a kid who happens to have powers? Absolutely. But it’s what you’ve chosen to do with it, that makes a difference. It may not seem like it, but... we wouldn’t have defeated Thanos without you. You’re not weak, or pathetic. You’re so, so brave. We’ve all... we’ve all been there, Pete. We’ve all been through the nightmares, and the flashbacks, and the pain. We all have had to fight an internal battle to pick up our weapons and put on our suits again. The difference is, kiddo, that we’ve been doing this for a *long* time. Yes, it doesn’t seem like we have these issues—but that’s because they’ve just become a part of us. Thus is the life of the hero. It sucks, yes, but... it gets better. It makes you stronger.”

 

Peter was crying now, gripping his mentor’s shoulder as he eased the boy down onto it, allowing him to cry into his hoodie.

 

“I don’t know how to keep moving forward, Mr. Stark. I feel stuck.”

 

“You can start by putting on that suit. I didn’t make it for you just to stare at it, kiddo. The people are relying on us, and we can’t just stay here and let the future move on without us in it. You’re not Tony Stark’s mentee for nothing. It’s gonna be hard, and it’s gonna hurt for a long time... but I know you can do it, Pete.”

 

The teen continued sobbing into the hoodie material, while Tony rubbed circles in his back. He mumbled a few “thank you”s into his mentor’s shoulder.

 

“No problem, kiddo. Can you make me a promise? Tomorrow, I want you to go to school. Then, when you’re out... go on a patrol. Nothing dangerous. Catch a few purse snatchers maybe, and just get back into the swing of things. Can you do that for me?”

 

“I can, Mr. Stark. I can.”

 

“Good kid. For now, though... you need sleep. Lay down.”

 

The teen reluctantly obeyed, allowing Mr. Stark to guide him down to his pillows, the man still sitting at the edge of the bed as he pulled blankets over his mentee.

 

“Close your eyes, Pete.”

 

“I don’t want to, Mr. Stark, I... can I see you for a little while longer? It’s been so long, I—I miss you.”

 

Peter tried to stay awake, but he felt his eyes lulling shut.

 

“You’ll be okay, kiddo. Go to sleep. You’ve got a big day tomorrow if you’re going to keep your promise.”

 

“If... I close my eyes, you won’t be there when I open them again, will you?”

 

“...No, Peter. I won’t be. You know I can’t be.”

 

“Please don’t make me close my eyes, Mr. Stark. Please.”

 

Peter felt a hand running through his bangs, working its way down over his eyelids, finally forcing his world to black.

 

“Sleep well, Spider-Man. I mean it.”

 

The teen did sleep well. For the first time in a long, long while... no nightmares plagued him, no intrusions interrupted his slumber. As if protected by some invisible force, he slept peacefully for the first time in months.

 

When he awoke, the morning sun shining gently on his figure, he was painfully aware of the empty space on the end of his bed. A single tear made its way down his cheek, but he wiped it away furiously. He had a promise to keep, after all.

 

“Bye, May! I’m heading to school! I may be home a little late tonight.”

 

Aunt May looked up from her morning coffee in surprise, but didn’t manage more than a muttered “have a good day” before the teen rushed out the door.

 

She smiled to herself as she saw the hint of a familiar red and blue suit under the boy’s hoodie.

 


End file.
